The Metallic Vision of Brian Bowen Smith

The body, as we all know, is a delicate figure—one that photographer Brian Bowen Smith aims to capture through the bare body’s pure essence and soul. In his new exhibition “Metallic Life,” which opens tomorrow at De Re Gallery in Los Angeles, Bowen Smith depicts his models in intimate dances with themselves, printed on metallic canvas. Through the metallic surfaces, he conveys a tantalizing sense of movement and accentuates crevices and curves.

Although his models appear anonymous within the images, as they do not show their faces, they are far from unknown. “Metallic Life” will feature images of celebrities and talents including Kourtney Kardashian and Tallulah Willis, whose photo is exclusively included in the slideshow above. “Tallulah’s eclectic personality made my job easy,” Bowen Smith recalls. “We have been friends for a long time, so she was very comfortable when we started shooting.”

Each subject captures a unique form of the body, drawing largely upon themes of sexuality and uniformity. Bowen Smith draws inspiration from the works of figures such as Helmut Newton, Peter Beard, Peter Lindbergh, and Richard Avedon, and as a protégé of iconic photographer Herb Ritts, no less would be expected. “When you shoot someone as carefree as Tallulah, the work is almost done for you,” the photographer continues. “I love how she’s picking through her twisted body of confusion.”

“METALLIC LIFE” OPENS TOMORROW, OCTOBER 22, AT DE RE GALLERY IN LOS ANGELES.